Summary: Knowing he's going to be left on 'Pete's World', the Meta-Crisis Doctor decides to take a few matters into his own hands. If only he'd thought about the consequences of his actions beforehand.
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Episode 1 – The Meta-Crisis' Decision
The Meta-Crisis Doctor stands beside one Rose Tyler and listens. It's strange for him, he knows that he's the result of a two-way Meta-Crisis. He has only one heart and a higher body temperature then the 'original' Doctor. But, he also knows the first rule that the Doctor gives - or at least should give - all his companions, the Doctor lies. The Doctor should also come with a guidebook that has a warning in big bright red letters 'the Doctor will try to make decisions for you, what he thinks is best and not necessarily what is'. He'd told Donna that he is the Doctor but as more and more of his - or the other Doctor's - memories sort themselves out, he's not sure he wants to be. Always running and never looking back for fear of what he might see. Making his companions decisions for them.
Jack had been the first to leave, saying that his team needed him or he needed them or something like that - in truth, he hadn't really been listening. And, he figured that Jack just wanted to get far, far away from him. It was strange that he somehow had memories of when he was 'just a hand in a jar' and while he'd never say any different to the other Doctor, to Donna, or to anyone else - he did remember. More accurately, he had told one person, Jack Harkness. And, then he'd proceeded to stab Jack to death - multiple times. If the other Doctor hadn't stopped him - forcibly, he's not sure when he would've stopped. And, considering he wouldn't tell the other Doctor or Rose why he'd done so - why did the other Doctor - God, he was going to need to find another name! - honestly think that Rose would want to stay with him, no matter what the reason? Suit covered in splatters of blood, his face as well, and a look that scared Rose - or maybe it was the blood covered knife and the fact he'd been screaming at the other Doctor, 'Let me go! Let me the fuck go'! Jack hadn't said a word about why he'd stabbed Jack, either. Yeah, Jack being Jack had had 'fun' with that 'hand in a jar' but now that 'hand in a jar' was a living, breathing individual that remembered and despised Jack Harkness!
Sarah Jane had been next to go. Considering the other Doctor's dislike for endings, he'd been surprised that the other Doctor had actually said goodbye.
Martha had been the most recent, he just hoped she followed through with what she agreed to do instead of following the orders of UNIT. How does it make sense - even the slightest bit of sense - that you're going to save the world by destroying it? There was no thought in the actions of UNIT to 'save' the rest of the universe, it was Earth and only Earth!
And now, they're on Pete's World and the other Doctor is trying to leave him with Rose. He knows that the other Doctor doesn't get along with prior regenerations but this is ridiculous! The other Doctor is 'the lonely god' by choice!
Rose stood between the two and the other Doctor asked, 'Does it need saying'?
Well, he thought he'd been listening. Rose looked at him and asked, 'And you'? Seeing the look on the other Doctor's face - in his eyes, he knew that this had to do with when Rose had first been trapped in this parallel universe. What the other Doctor hadn't been able to say before the link was severed. He knew Rose well enough to know that those words meant the world to her but was it right for him to say them? He loved Rose because the other Doctor did. But, if he didn't say them then - he remembered what Rose had said at Canary Wharf, even knowing that she wouldn't be able to see her mother again, 'I made my choice a long time ago'. The Doctor shook his head and then said, 'I don't know'.
The Doctor saw the surprise on the other Doctor's face and the other Doctor mouthing, 'What'? Rose looked at the other Doctor again and asked in disbelief, 'How can you say he's you'? The other Doctor said, 'He's lying, he's got to be'! The Doctor walked up to the other Doctor and said, 'Maybe I am. That's what you do after all, isn't it? But, there's something I do know. You don't age as fast as a human - it takes almost three hundred years just for a Time Lord to look sixty and around that time is when you'd regenerate into a younger - you. But, if that is really the reason you won't say those three words to Rose because you think she deserves someone who can age with her - like I would - then why do you still carry it? Why did you even get it'?
The Doctor knew that Rose was watching them intently, she probably didn't like the fact that he'd essentially pinned 'her' Doctor against the door of the T.A.R.D.I.S. - 'her' Doctor said, 'I don't know what you're talking about'. Whether or not anybody else heard the nervousness in 'her' Doctor's voice, he didn't know. The Doctor laughed and then said, 'Another lie. You're good at those. You know exactly what I'm talking about'. He could tell that Rose's Doctor - he liked thinking of the other Doctor that way - was trying to ask him, 'Why are you doing this'? Another one of his 'this is what's best and to hell with what the person whose decision I'm making for them thinks' thoughts. The Doctor used his left hand and quickly reached into Rose's Doctor's right pocket of Rose's Doctor's trench-coat before just as quickly removing his hand now holding a small blue box before shoving it at Rose's Doctor - holding it against Rose's Doctor's chest - and asked mockingly, 'Why don't you explain that to Rose'?
The Doctor took a couple steps to his left, his eyes never leaving Rose's Doctor, and Rose asked confused, 'Doctor'? The Doctor could tell by the way Rose's Doctor kept glancing at him and then at Rose that Rose's Doctor was just wanting to turn and run but he was to close for that to be an workable option. Rose repeated - more concerned then confused, 'Doctor'? The Doctor had to suppress any kind of smile when he saw Rose's Doctor lower Rose's Doctor's hand from where Rose's Doctor had held/hidden the box after the Doctor had stepped away - allowing Rose to see what he was holding.
The Doctor turned to face Rose's Doctor but then quickly took a step back when Rose collided with her Doctor, knocking him back against the T.A.R.D.I.S. - well, it sounded like he collided with the door even though he was already up against it. Two more steps back and lowering his head when Rose kissed her Doctor. The Doctor glanced at Jackie who'd already voiced her displeasure at being back in Norway but at that moment was speechless.
The Doctor looked back at Rose and her Doctor when he noticed her Doctor taking Rose by the arms and forcing her to take a step back and then her Doctor, 'I can't stay in his this parallel universe and I can't ask you to come with me. Your family's here'! Rose said determined, 'I will tell you the same thing I told you at Canary Wharf, I made my decision a long time ago'. The Doctor noticed Rose's Doctor's look of sadness and Rose asked concerned, 'Don't you want me to come with you'? The Doctor saw Rose's Doctor look at him the Doctor asked innocently, 'What'? Rose's Doctor then returned his attention to Rose and asked, 'But, what do we do about him'? The Doctor said, 'You can still leave me here. This universe needs a Doctor and who knows? Maybe I'll find my own Rose Tyler'. Rose looked at him and said, 'You attacked Jack for no reason'! The Doctor snapped, 'I had my reason but it's no one else's business, Rose Tyler'! Whether or not it was a conscious movement or not, the Doctor noticed as Rose's Doctor swiftly positioned himself between the Doctor and Rose. Yeah, like he'd ever hurt Rose! That was never going to happen!
As Rose and Jackie said their goodbyes, Rose's Doctor said, 'I don't trust you, not even a little bit'. The Doctor said, 'I know'. Rose's Doctor glanced at Rose before saying, 'But, thank you'. The Doctor didn't know just when Rose would be leaving with her Doctor so just decided to get out the other thing he needed to say, 'I know what you plan to do to Donna'. Rose's Doctor said, 'It's the only way'. The Doctor shook his head and said, 'No, it's not. Remember, Doctor, it was a two-way Meta-Crisis. You can't turn a Time Lord into a human without locking away their Time Lord self anymore then you can try to turn a human into a Time Lord. I'm standing right here, though! It can work, it's just more painful for her, but just give it time'! Rose's Doctor asked exasperated, 'And, what if it doesn't'? The Doctor said, 'Remember, I don't just have your memories, I also have hers, and trust me - Donna Noble would rather die then to lose what she's become'! Rose's Doctor whispered in disbelief, 'You did lie to Rose'! The Doctor asked, 'How does it feel having someone make your decision for you for once'? Rose's Doctor looked at Rose and said, 'Not to bad actually'.
The Doctor stood back and watched as Rose and her Doctor walked into the T.A.R.D.I.S., the door shutting behind them, and then the T.A.R.D.I.S. dematerialized. And, that's when the Doctor made several quick realizations, the first was that he no longer had a T.A.R.D.I.S, he was also now without a sonic screwdriver but he could make one of those, and he knew exactly nobody in the parallel universe other then Jackie and Pete Tyler but neither of them really knew him! And, if he was going to be stuck on Earth - oh God, he was going to have to get a job! And, a house and other clothes and - this whole idea had been a horrible, horrible idea!
The Doctor sat down in the sand facing the water and was startled a few minutes later by Jackie who asked, 'Are you going to be going to London'? The Doctor said honestly, 'I don't know'. Jackie said, 'If you decided to, you could ride on the zeppelin and Pete could probably get you set up with an identity'. The Doctor looked back at Jackie and asked, 'Who are you and what have you done with Jackie Tyler? Because, the Jackie I know wouldn't be acting this nice to me'. Jackie said, 'Rose asked me to help you if I could'.
The Doctor was on the zeppelin before he admitted to Jackie that he wasn't even sure what his identity was, he was the Doctor but he wasn't and he wanted to be his own person and not just the Doctor's duplicate or the Meta-Crisis Doctor!
After the zeppelin landed, Jackie and the Doctor went separate ways, with the Doctor agreeing that if he ever came up with an identity that he'd let Pete know. The Doctor figured that Jackie was heading home while he headed to where he hoped the park would be - or at least, that's the direction it would be if he was still in the other universe. It couldn't be that different, could it? London was still London - just with zeppelins.
The farther the Doctor walked, the hotter he felt - not physically due to the temperature but in his head - and he wondered if he'd made a mistake with what he'd told Rose's Doctor. If he was starting to burn then had he sentenced Donna to the same fate? But, he couldn't bring himself to regret that decision. Donna would rather die then to lose who she'd become!
Collapsing on a bench, the Doctor wondered when Rose's Doctor would figure out that Rose still had a piece of the Bad Wolf inside her even though he wasn't entirely sure if that even meant anything besides that she belonged with the Doctor she'd left with. Hotter and hotter until he was gripping his head with both hands and curling into a ball - he didn't want to be alone!
xXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx
Author's Note 1: Well, this is the end of Episode One of my new story. What do ya think so far, good or bad?
Author's Note 2: And, just to clarify something, this will not have thirteen episodes and then a new season start like I did with the Tegan Harkness Chronicles. Think of it like - like - WWE or NJPW, they don't have an 'off-season'!
Reviews/Comments/Critiques welcome!
Written on March 18th, 2019